Sprint issues statement on AT&T acquisition of T-Mobile

AT&T announced the purchase of T-Mobile yesterday for $39 billion from Deutsche Telekom. Maybe you heard? The move, which joins the nation’s number two and number four wireless providers, whittles the list of top competitors down to three: at the top is AT&T, followed now by former leader Verizon and, bringing up the rear, Sprint.

The purchase was a dramatic turn of events on its own, but Sprint actually had something of a stake in it if recent reports are correct. Back at the beginning of the month there was talk that the wireless provider was in negotiations to acquire T-Mobile. This would have joined the third- and fourth-largest providers in the country, accomplishing the similar end of whittling the top competition down to three but giving the two industry leaders in Verizon and AT&T a new force to be reckoned with.

Instead, AT&T snatched up T-Mobile and Sprint is now a distant third behind the other two companies. As you might imagine, this is not a welcome turn of events. Sprint has issued an official statement responding to the acquisition, laying out in rather succinct terms exactly why the joining of AT&T and T-Mobile may be bad for business, or, as Sprint puts it, “innovation and robust competition.”

The combination of AT&T and T-Mobile USA, if approved by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC), would alter dramatically the structure of the communications industry. AT&T and Verizon are already by far the largest wireless providers. A combined AT&T and T-Mobile would be almost three times the size of Sprint, the third largest wireless competitor. If approved, the merger would result in a wireless industry dominated overwhelmingly by two vertically-integrated companies that control almost 80% of the US wireless post-paid market, as well as the availability and price of key inputs such as backhaul and access needed by other wireless companies to compete. The DOJ and the FCC must decide if this transaction is in the best interest of consumers and the US economy overall, and determine if innovation and robust competition would be impacted adversely and by this dramatic change in the structure of the industry.

Sprint’s points echo concerns raised by other observers of yesterday’s news. The facts are unavoidable here, and while there are points in favor of the acquisition as well, federal regulators are going to have their work cut out for them in gauging whether or not this deal can be made.

Fallout 76 has experienced a sharp decline in viewership not just when compared to the numbers for Fallout 4, but also compared to the game's B.E.T.A. period last month. Sales also appear to be lower than they were with Fallout 4.

A rocket has launched over Virginia's eastern shore, carrying supplies to the International Space Station (ISS). Inside the spacecraft are supplies for the ISS itself and the crew onboard, such as scientific equipment and food.

Last year, T-Mobile launched its own line of branded smartphones. As a follow-up to their predecessors, the carrier has unveiled the Revvl 2 and Revvl 2 Plus -- complete with a sleeker design. Here's everything you need to know.

Is your Amazon tablet giving you grief? Is it refusing to behave the way you expect? Take a deep breath -- everything will be fine. Here are some widely reported Kindle Fire problems and a few possible solutions to go with them.

Tumblr for iOS is currently only allowing searches in Safe Mode, and it is not available on the App Store. The speculation is that the app's disappearance had something to do with inappropriate content.

Barnes & Noble recently launched its largest mobile device to date, the Nook Tablet 10.1. Now the company has released a couple of accessories designed exclusively for the new Nook: A keyboard cover and a charging dock.

The mega-retailer opens its doors to the most competitive shoppers at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 22, and signs indicate that the retailer means business this year. We've sifted through all of the deals, from consumer electronics to small…

Smartwatches make your life easier by sending alerts right on your wrist. Many also provide fitness-tracking features. So if you're ready to take the plunge into wearables and want to save money, read on for the best smartwatch deals.

Need a better phone but don't want to spend a fortune? It's never a bad time to score a new smartphone and save some cash. We rounded up the best smartphone deals available that can save you as much as $850.

Previously, Apple was awarded a patent for a foldable phone, and the company has been rumored to be working on one. But it's not at all similar to other concepts. Here's everything we know about a folding iPhone.

Amazon may be an online-only retailer, but that doesn’t mean its Black Friday sales are anything to sniff at. In fact, due to its online status, Amazon has huge flexibility with the range of products and deals it can offer. Here's our…

Modern smartphones can charge in mere minutes instead of hours. How does fast charging work? Here's a guide to the most popular standards, including Qualcomm Quick Charge, Apple fast charging, OnePlus Dash Charge, and more.

We've been hard at work assembling all the best Black Friday deals Best Buy offers in 2018 and putting them in one place to save you time and money this holiday season. From laptops to TVs, game consoles to smart speakers and much more…